The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) on Thursday cancelled the planned debate for presidential candidates in the 2023 election.
NESG CEO, Laoye Jaiyeola, who announced the cancellation in a statement said the decision was due to ‘prevailing circumstances’.
“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this decision may cause our stakeholders and all Nigerians.”
Jaiyeola said the NESG and Nigerian Elections Debate Group (NEDG) took the decision after “a critical assessment of events surrounding recent engagements with the presidential candidates, as well as subsequent statements from political parties.”
While the debate will no longer hold, Jaiyeola said “the NESG will actively seek independent direct engagements with the candidates on critical economic policy reform issues and prescriptions.”
Jaiyeola noted that NESG envisions a Nigeria where election debates are an integral part of the electoral process, and candidates are eager to engage citizens in discussions about their mandates, experience, ability, capacity, knowledge, and overall competence for the positions they seek.
“We remain committed to providing a platform for such engagements in the national interest.”
